JaPHAN

BONUS CHAPTER

"Dan?" Phil asked, entering the lounge where his fiancé sat, scrolling through Tumblr.
"Yeah?" Dan asked, looking up and smiling. Phil smiled too, sitting down close to him.
"My family's coming over tomorrow."
"Really?" Dan asked, absentmindedly linking a finger with Phil's.
"Yes," Phil sighed, laying his head on Dan's shoulder. "I want to tell them everything."
At that moment, their soon-to-be adopted 'children' poked their heads around the corner.
"Hey!" Henry said, smiling. "We heard that!" Phil motioned for them to sit with them.
"Then you'll know that the Lesters are visiting tomorrow," he said. They nodded.
"I can't wait to meet them," Jordyn said, smiling wide.
"Come here," Phil spoke, sitting up and motioning close. Dan put his laptop aside. "So," Phil started. "Yes, they're coming. And they don't know anything yet...they don't know about Dan and I, and they definitely don't know about you."
"That's okay," Henry told him. "It will be a surprise."
"It's a pretty big surprise," Phil reasoned, scratching his head. "So they may need a moment to process it all. Just...give them some time, okay?"
"Sure," Jordyn and Henry shrugged. "We understand. We're gonna go clean our room for when they come, okay?"
"Good idea," Dan told them. They stood up and ran down the hallway.
"I hope my parents are okay with all of this," Phil said, worried.
"Don't worry," Dan told him, pulling Phil closer until his head rested under Dan's chin. Dan kissed the top of his head. "Everything will work out."
"How can you be so sure?" Phil asked, twisting around to look Dan in the eye. Dan leaned down, kissing him softly and sweetly.
"Because..." He started, finishing the kiss. "I didn't think things would ever be okay for the longest time...and look at us now."
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
It was tomorrow. Already. And Phil was freaking out.
"Henry! Jordyn!" He called whilst he and Dan were cleaning their multi colored dining room chairs. "Can you please run the vacuum in the lounge?"
"I got it!" Henry said, running in. "Jordyn's washing the windows."
"Okay," Phil breathed, glancing at the clock. "We have an hour before my parents will be here..."
"Phil," Dan said, placing a hand on his arm. "It will be alright, stop worrying."
"No," Phil said, standing. "It's not! This flat is a mess." He grabbed a bottle of cleaning spray and ran towards the bathroom. Dan sighed, walking over to Henry who plugged in the vacuum.
"I've got this," Dan told him. Henry looked up, concern prominent in his dark eyes.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes," Dan told him, smiling. "For now, go help your sister."
Henry grinned up at Dan.
"I love it when you say that." Dan laughed, knowing just how excited Henry and Jordyn were to be officially adopted and part of the family. Dan placed an arm around Henry and gave him a quick squeeze before Henry disappeared into the hallway to find Jordyn. Dan got to work.
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
The hour had passed, and Phil made sure that the flat was spotless. He made Henry, Jordyn, and even Dan wash up, and put on their best clothes.
"Phil!" Dan giggled. "I've met your parents loads of times! We're basically family!"
"This is different," Phil insisted.
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
"We're home!" Phil called, his voice tense. Quickly, Dan, Henry, and Jordyn scrambled to rearrange the cushions before Henry and Jordyn disappeared into their bedrooms leaving Dan to sit as elegantly as possible on the sofa.
"I just love your flat!" They heard Phil's mother exclaim.
"Thanks, Mum," Phil replied, a bit of his old northern accent mixing in. "To be fair though, Dan did most of the decorating."
At that, Phil came around the corner into the lounge, his parents following behind.
"Hello Daniel!" Phil's mother exclaimed, dropping her purse onto the sofa and opening her arms for a hug. Dan laughed, returning the gesture.
"It's good to see you again!" He told her, smiling genuinely.
"How are you, son?" Phil's father asked, extending a hand for a shake.
"Doing well, thanks," Dan replied. "And yourself?"
"Ah, just fine!" He said, giving Dan a fatherly pat on the back before moving to sit next to Phil's mother. Dan and Phil had enough time to glance at each other knowingly, Phil tucking his hand in his pocket, before sitting down opposite them.
"Now," Phil's mum started, smiling. "Tell us all about Japan!"
"It was wonderful, really," Phil started, only minimally tripping over his words. "We were with Duncan and Mimei quite a lot, and it was amazing to finally meet them in person."
"They showed us all around Tokyo," Dan started excitedly, restraining himself from speaking with his hands. "We managed to get to the Pokémon store on our own though," he explained. "And the Ghibli Museum."
"The best part, though," Phil cut in. "Was when Duncan and Mimei took us on Mount Fuji!" At this, Dan began to laugh at the memory.
"And you got..." He started, trailing off in giggles.
"The black ice cream!" Phil continued, laughing as well.
"All over your face!"
At this, they all burst into laughter.
"We have pictures!" Phil exclaimed, handing his parents his phone. He and Dan watched as they scrolled through the photos excitedly. Every so often, they'd ask about one of them, and Dan and Phil would share a crazy anecdote, causing the whole group to laugh charismatically. Finally, they got to the end of the pictures.
"It looks like you lads had a great time!" Phil's father said, handing him back the phone.
"We did," Phil smiled, looking at Dan.
"We bought you some things!" Dan told them, picking up the bags sitting on the floor next to them. He handed both of Phil's parents a gift bags.
"Oh look how cute this is!" Phil's mum said, reaching into the bag and pulling out an exquisitely decorated platter of plastic sushi.
"For the dining room at home," Phil explained, hugging her.
"Green tea KitKats?" Phil's dad asked. "I wonder how those will taste!"
"Oh they're incredible," Dan assured him. "Better than the originals!" At that, Phil's dad tried one, his eyes lighting up.
"You're right!" He laughed. "Thank you!"
"You're welcome!" Dan and Phil chorused, glancing at each other. At that, Phil nodded.
"There's something else we brought home as well..." Dan said.
"And what would that be?" Phil's mother asked. Phil took a deep breath, and lifted his hand, showing them his ring.
"This is the best thing I got in Japan. Dan gave it to me."
"Oh Phil it's-"
"He...he asked me to marry him."
At this, Phil's parents fell silent. Tears welled up in both of their eyes as Phil reached a hand out and grabbed Dan's.
"Mr. and Mrs. Lester..." Dan started. "I love your son. He is the best thing to ever happen to me, he is the light of my life. He's everything." Dan looked into Phil's shining blue eyes. "And I just ask that you give us your blessing."
They both looked over to see tears pouring out of Phil's mom's eyes.
"Oh I just love you both!" She exclaimed, jumping up to hug them. "I always knew you two were perfect for each other! Of course I give you my blessing, oh this wedding is going to be fantastic!" Dan began to cry at this, hugging her back fiercely.
"Thank you," Dan whispered. He felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Son," It was Phil's dad. He was smiling, a single tear falling down his face.
"Mr. Lester?"
"Call me Dad," he said, laughing. Dan hugged him as well while Phil and his mother talked excitedly about the wedding.
"Phil!" Dan exclaimed.
"Yeah?"
"We. Have. Another. Surprise. Remember?"
Phil's eyes lit up.
"Oh my God!" He turned to his mom. "Are you ready for another shock?"
"Another?" She asked, wiping tears from her eyes.
"Yes," he nodded. "But you're gonna love it." At that, he leaned into the hallway. "Henry! Jordyn!" he called. They came running.
"Mom," Phil said. "Dad...I'd like you to meet our soon-to-be adopted children and new best friends...Henry and Jordyn." He stepped away to reveal them, standing there, arm in arm, and smiling.
"Oh!" Phil's mom gasped. "They're darling!" Henry and Jordyn grinned to one another as she immediately rushed forward to hug them. "Oh Phil!"
"Hello, Mrs. Lester!" Henry said under her crushing hug.
"Oh they're adorable!" She cried. Jordyn stepped over to Mr. Lester, hugging him as well.
"It's nice to meet you sir."
"And so polite!" He said, hugging her lightly back.
"Oh but you mustn't call us Mr. and Mrs. Lester!" Phil's mother said.
"What should we call you then?"
"Grandpa and Grandma of course!"
And Henry and Jordyn grinned at each other, both on the verge of tears. It was their first real family, away from each other.
Dan and Phil kissed lightly, watching Phil's parents interact with the kids. This was all going to work out splendidly, they could feel it. And it felt pretty damn good.